We all have our passions – for me it is Automuseums. I think I have literally been to every major auto museum in Germany. Over the last year I have been sharing my photos with you guys. South had asked me to make a summary of all my past posts. He has done a great job editing my photos. So here are all my museum threads in one easy to read post. This should make a great reference for anyone planning an ED or who just want to see how spoiled we are over here in der Fatherland. Not only do we have great Autobahns but also some of the best museums in the world.

EFA is a very nice private auto museum. One of my favorite automusuems. The museum is just about an hour’s drive East of Munich. Amerang is near the resort area of Chiemsee – a lakeside area that sits at the foot hills of the Alps. A very pretty area to stay over night in.

Simply a great motorcycle museum located inside a shopping mall – well sort of. It is located in a congress hall/exhibition center. But it has more of a feel of a shopping mall to me. East German motorcycles and cars. They had a lot of EMW (formerly BMW: Eisenach Motor Werk, later AWE, EMW, and Wartburg and IFA.) cars here.

Down the street from the museum is a cool weapons & ceramic museum too.

Eisenach is kind of the forgotten BMW Museum. I have been wanting to go here for a long time. I almost did not make it in time, but more about that in a moment. Eisenach has produced many automobiles over the years: Wartburg, Dixi, BMW, EMW, IFA and Opel. BMW did not like the fact that in Eisenach they produced cars even before BMW ever did. And they were using their logo. So… the East German government changed the name to EMW and went with a red and white propeller design/logo. The rest as they say is history.

A great medium sized beer brewery that shows you step by step what it takes to make German Beer! Tour lasts about two hours and ends up in their 19th century American bar down in the basement! What a great place.

I finally got to drive this wonderful road! Ever since I had first heard the word: Grossglockner Pass… I have wanted to drive this road in the clouds. Many years ago I read a story (in a British magazine: CAR) on this mountain pass road. Seems the Silver Arrow race cars use to run around these mountain roads. This was my first taste of this famous road. I have always wanted an excuse to go for a drive around those Alpine roads. Well… last weekend I finally made it possible. Just me and my TiAg 135i. I also visited a private Porsche museum in Gmuend – where Porsche made its first 48 (aluminum bodied) - 356 models.

Miniatur Wunderland is the largest model railway in the world! It will really boggle your mind how many trains and scale models(all self made I might add!) and THOUGHT was put into this place. IF you find yourself in Hamburg, you should go look this place up. I did find it kind of crowded and packed with tourists. But that kind of goes with the territory with these kinds of attractions.

They opened in 2000, and in 2008 they past the 1,000,000th visitor! Quite a feat for three guys who just wanted a place to build and play with their HO train sets! lol Either go there early in the morning or late in the evening… because the lines are HUGE getting into this place!

I had been meaning to go visit this museum ever since I first heard about it on German TV. They only have REAL prototype cars, only German manufactures. The museum is small (50 or so cars over two floors) but what I really liked was it had a level in intimacy that is missing from a lot of the new mega museums sprouting up all over Germany. The museum reminded me of the old quaint Porsche museum in Zuffenhausen. They also had a lot of little detailed car snick-snack that you just do not see. There are planing on expanding the museum to the rest of the building and building a new top to the building. But that is some years off.

I was kind of expecting a bigger museum but it was still a worth while trip for me. They had a lot of cool and interesting cars as you can see bellow. Since I am a big Porsche fan I found many cool old cars there.

I am also a big AutoUnion fan of the Silver Arrow age… and I found an interesting display there too. Although I suspect that the cars must still be on display over at Audi AG (Ingolstadt), since they have an on going display of the most Silver Arrows in the world at one place. Twelve cars I think. I’ll have to look back at my pics when I went there in Feb.

As with anything… the difference is in the small details. And this museum really had a lot of cool small details. Things that you just do not see anywhere but in some state archive. Details, I love them!

You can come visit BMW Leipzig – it is as simple as sending an email. But be prepared to walk you butt off. I think we walked over 4km that day. I would recommend any BMW lover to come see how our cars are made.

The Verkehrsmuseum Dresden (Traffic Museum of Dresden) is one of those cool old museums halls. The museum is located just down the street from the famous Frauenkirche (church). The church was one of the many victims of the Dresden bombings in Feb 13-15th, 1945 – almost sixty five years to the date. Seemed quite strange to be touring Dresden – because I could hardly recognize the city. Especially 65 years almost to the date! The Germans have done quite a good job rebuilding the city. Well… to be honest, there are still many building projects scattered around the city. But for the most part – the city looks brand new.

Verkehrsmuseum Dresden concentrates on the achievements of the former East Germany (aka DDR). Cars, city trams, trains, ships and air ships and aircraft – all the East’s pioneers. The museum is small, but I really like how diverse the exhibits are. They are renovating the museum at the moment, but still most of the exhibits are open to the public. Everything in the East seems to be a big building project!

Dresden is one of those must see cities. And it makes a great stop on the way to Prague or points North to say Berlin, Leipzig, ect. IF you do head off to Prauge, Dresden has a very famous Christmas Market and has some great old museums too. Not to mention a few palaces. There is also a nice museum on the midevil times with knights, weapons, rare jewels and ceramics.

August Horch Museum is a jewel of a museum. Not just because of the cars in their collection but because of how they present these cars. Audi has done a wonderful job on the displays and all the little details that transport you back in time. To a by gone era. Audi has collected a ton of car stuff that goes far beyond their cars. I really wish BMW would have a museum like this.

The Zwickau Factory is where the famous Silver Arrow race cars were built from Auto Union in the 1930’s. Later after the war it is where the East Germans (DDR) had their “people car” known at the Trabant. Most Germans just fondly call it the Trabi. After the wall came down (Nov 1990) Volkswagen bought the factory. First they started to build Trabi’s with VW Polo motors… but then they stopped production. VW got the German government to give them a ton of cash to build a state of the art factory just off the autobahn. The rest as they say is History. In 2004, Audi decided to open a museum at the former Zwickau Werk. The museum is on the former factory complex grounds. Audi has done quite a job remodeling the grounds and polishing the old gal up.

I should say I was a little bit disappointed that they did not have any of the Silver Arrow cars at the museum. They did have a small display area and one of the engines. But I think they could have done better on this part of their heritage.

Btw… I am not Audi fan boy! I am posting these photos because all things car related interests me. I think any motor-head would be happy to come visit this museum.

The Museum Sinsheim is without a doubt my favorite German car & military museum! It is open 365 days a year! And has an awesome collection of cars, planes, trains, tanks, engines. IF you consider yourself a motor-head you gotta get you butt over to this place!! Sinsheim has the British Concorde AND the Russian version side by side!

They also have a sister museum in Speyer. It is there they have things like the Russian space shuttle and 747’s! And btw… they have a real U-boat there too. Everything you can climb up inside and have a real close up look! It's just 30 minutes away South of Heidelberg. Both museums also have a nice hotel on the grounds.

This is a small museum but it is also an old museum and has a ton of motorcycles and interesting cars. Mostly formula cars as you can see. IF you are into bikes I say stop by…. But it is not really a must see place, like some of the other “big” German auto maker museums (ie: BMW, MB, Porsche & Audi and VW).

Hockenheim’s museum is how German museum’s use to be. Just the cars and bikes on display. No mega amounts of money or high entrance fees. There is just something refreshing seeing a museum like this. Where you can smell the high octane gas (and oil leaking) dripping onto these cookie trays under the bikes. You can just take in the display and enjoy it. Modern museums like Nuerburgring Ereliebness Welt is the “other” extreme.

The Museum and Racetrack is located about an hour south of Frankfurt. Where the A5 intersects the A6. Heidelberg is also close by. Just exit at Hockenheimring and follow the blue and white formula race car signs. The track is about a ten minute drive from the autobahn exit.

To drive the Ring it is NOT open every day! Check their website before driving out there!

What can I say? I think every car nut needs to come visit this place. Just be carefull when you go out on the Ring. Don’t become one of its victims. Don’t try to break any lap records – because you won’t. Just come here and enjoy the Eifel region.

At around 11am, on January 28th, 1938, Bernd Rosemeyer crashed his Auto Union rekord car on the A5 Autobahn between Frankfurt and Darmstadt. Rosemeyer was twenty eight years old. He was driving in excess of 400 kph when he lost control and crashed into a bridge burm. This was at the Langen – Moerfelden bridge/exit on the A5. His earlier record runs in his Auto Union stood until the mighty 917 of Mark Donahue went fasters in the late seventies! Even today the Veyron Super sport flirts with the same V-max speeds!

Anyone can stop at this small autobahn restplatz and take a moment to remember this famous man. In lots of ways he was a pioneer of the early racing days of the Silver Arrows. Some would say the golden years.

Driving from Frankfurt take the A5 autobahn South bound. The restplatz is the 2nd one on that autobahn. Just a few kilometers from Cargo City or the old Rheinmein AFB that closed a few years back. IF you pass the Walldorf - Langen – Moerfelden exit you have gone too far. And remember you can access this rest platz only when you are drivng SOUTH.

Just one of the places off most people’s map, that makes you think of racing’s old glory days. It is hard enough trying to drive the A5 at 200kph let alone 440+ kph back in the 1930’s! Really puts things into perspective.

This is a classic car show held every Spring at the Essen Messe. There are a lot of German car manufactures (BMW, Audi, MB and VW) that participate in the car show. It is one part new car show, one part old classics and cars for sale and one part used parts show/flee market.

The Techno Classica is not to be missed! As long as I am living in Germany I will go to this show!! It is that good.

The other day I was going thru some of my old photos and thought maybe some of you guys would like to see the famous Ferrari Museum. I really can not believe I was there so long ago. These photos were taken in 2003 – but knowing how the Italians work… I bet the museum has not changed much. When I went there… the museum had just opened.

Maranello is closed to Modena on the A1 Autostrada. From Munich it is probably about a five hour car drive. I really love driving in Italy. I think it would make a great ED trip. Maserati and Lamborghini are also close by. Both have museums open to the public. I have never been to them though. It is on my bucket list though!

Thanks Dackelone. Even me being in EU I didn't visit all this, but I def going to do it when I go buy my BMW and drive slowly for brake-in. I think you can also add the "Musée de l'automobile Schlumpf" in Mulhouse (France, just at the boarder of Germany. It is the town were I studied at the university, because I lived near. There is also a train museum, to which I never went.
The Sclumpf museum is nearly a Bugatti museum, there are alot of them, inculding the Bugatti Royal and the Bugatti Veyron. And then there is the Bugatti factory in Molsheim. I had chance, when I passed there I often saw Veyrons of different colors.

Stammheim (main) - "Zeitgesechichte Musuem" near Schweinfurt. This museum has wonderful displays of looking back at war times. Everything from trench warfare to Hitler youth classrooms. Very cool msueum!

Thanks Dackelone. Even me being in EU I didn't visit all this, but I def going to do it when I go buy my BMW and drive slowly for brake-in. I think you can also add the "Musée de l'automobile Schlumpf" in Mulhouse (France, just at the boarder of Germany. It is the town were I studied at the university, because I lived near. There is also a train museum, to which I never went.
The Sclumpf museum is nearly a Bugatti museum, there are alot of them, inculding the Bugatti Royal and the Bugatti Veyron. And then there is the Bugatti factory in Molsheim. I had chance, when I passed there I often saw Veyrons of different colors.

I have been there many years (+12) ago - the "Musée de l'automobile Schlumpf" in Mulhouse, France is a wonderful museum. I see they have remodeled the museum now. I hope to go there this summer.

Btw... at LeMans there is also a nice musuem too. I think France has some nice military museums as well. So I have heard.

From time to time many forum members have contacted me for helpful tips on where to “tour” while on ED over here. There is really no wrong or right answer. Just go where you feel like seeing. But even then there are so many places off the beaten path that might spark (desire of) your car lover’s heart. I came across Porsche’s website many years ago and it makes for a good “research tool” on where to drive while on ED. I think this thread might come in handy for anyone planning an ED trip!

Sorry this website is only in German. But you can click on a tour region from the left hand list… and see the various Porsche tours they offer. When you look at the car/trip packages… they include rental of a new Porsche, hotels and dinner(in most cases). It really isn’t that bad of a deal. Just some food for thought.

Here is another nice one, it is nice read about high BMW milage achievers ... goes to show you if you take good care of your car this fine automobile designed and engineered with so much care will serve you well